It is known in the art to produce pigments from algae, and to extract such pigments from the algal body (cells), to produce soluble coloring materials. One instance of such a use is the production of carotenoids from algae such as Dunaliella, which are used in a variety of uses, and as coloring materials.
While green-yellow pigments (which may be obtained, e.g., from Dunaliella) are characterized by good solubility in organic solvents, the pigments extracted from red microalgae (phycobiliproteins) are soluble in water. Furthermore, phycobiliproteins are relatively expensive to produce, are sensitive to heat and light, and are stable only for relatively short periods of time.